SECAUCUS, NJ. — On March 22, Freshpet and Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc., announced a first-of-its-kind partnership to bring personalized, subscription-based fresh pet food directly to pet owners across the United States.
Freshpet® Custom Meals™ are formulated by veterinary nutritionists with natural chicken, beef, salmon or egg proteins, as well as real fruits and vegetables, according to Freshpet. The diets are gently steam-cooked and must be kept refrigerated.
Pet owners can complete a brief questionnaire on Petco.com, answering questions about their dogs’ physical attributes, sensitivities and health goals, to receive a personalized meal plan. Each meal plan offers specific feeding guidelines based on breed, age, body type, activity level and other factors. These diets will then be delivered through Petco’s delivery services during a timeframe selected by the pet parent.
According to several sources, including NielsenIQ, Packaged Facts and credit card data from Earnest, the fresh and frozen pet food sector is surging alongside interest in direct-to-consumer pet product services. Sales growth in the fresh and frozen category is projected to reach as high as $6 billion within the next four years.
“It's exciting to see the demand for fresh pet food continue to grow,” said Scott Morris, co-founder and president of Freshpet. “As shoppers seek healthier, real food for their pets, they're also looking for solutions that provide added convenience. Our partnership with Petco allows us to deliver on both – creating customized healthy meal plans delivered to consumers’ doorsteps.”
All diets are free from powdered meat ingredients or preservatives. Freshpet Custom Meals will be available exclusively through Petco.com, with prices starting at $3 per day.
“This exclusive, customized home-delivered product is a breakthrough in the way pet parents can provide their pets with the very best nutrition,” said Amy College, chief merchandising officer at Petco. “We’re thrilled to partner with Freshpet, the leader in fresh pet food, to bring Freshpet Custom Meals to life through our differentiated, seamless omnichannel ecosystem, as part of our ongoing commitment to pets’ high-quality nutrition and complete health and wellness.”
Freshpet Custom Meals have officially been rolled out to 15 states already — including California, Texas, Florida and New York — and will be made available nationwide through Petco.com later this year.
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